THE WHY: Owner’s story Essex Family Dental opened its doors in 2016. Essex is a growing community located in the heart of Windsor, Ont., a city situated on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan. The city prides itself on safety, accessibility, affordability and fun, and is a leader in … Read more
Each new grad enters the world of private practice with dreams and visions of maintaining that fresh and vital feeling of importance. As dental professionals, we are excited to deliver great dental healthcare experiences to happy, appreciative patients that value what we can do for them. Then, as patients arrive, the realities of private practice … Read more
In the past two years, the strain of the pandemic has caused dental teams across the country to re-evaluate processes – a challenge at the best of times but essential to providing optimal patient care and maintaining practice production through a crisis. Practices that have succeeded during this challenging time share some key commonalities: clear … Read more
In the era of remote work, flexibility is vital. For some businesses, that means investing in a free phone number so that employees can work from home while customers can still call them anywhere, free of charge. For others, instead of hiring human agents to work in different time zones, AI chatbots can be a … Read more
Recently, I watched a crew team practice at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota, FL. As I watched the team glide effortlessly across the lake, I made three observations. First, I noticed their boat. It had a beautiful wood interior; the outside was shiny and spotless. Next, I noticed the leadership of the coxswain and how … Read more
We always consider the staff an important factor when valuing a practice. Dentistry, much like many other sectors of the economy, is facing severe workforce shortages in all facets of their team. These challenges can be found throughout the country. Whether it is a shortage of assistants and hygienists, and unrealistic salary expectations from new … Read more
Instagram was a social media powerhouse, with over one billion active monthly users,1 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other social networks, its role in business and society was cemented by the diminished opportunity for in-person interaction. Global usership of Instagram increased by 16 percent between 2019 and 2021, making it the sixth fastest-growing network during … Read more
Imagine the following scenario: A temporary dental assistant loads a sterilizer before lunch, and despite pressing the start button, the sterilizer fails to begin the reprocessing cycle. Another assistant returns later to unload the pouches. In a rush because one of their appointments ran long, they fail to confirm the status of the indicators, incorrectly … Read more
THE WHY: Owner’s story Dr. Dac Nguyen is the owner and principal dentist at Clinique Dac located in the heart of Westmount Quebec, an affluent city that lies on the western slopes of Mount Royal, on the beautiful island of Montreal. This boutique practice has been serving great dentistry to its community for almost 50 … Read more
The only thing I did well in dental school was make a lot of friends. I was slow to pick up clinical skills. I never made the honour roll. I failed a course in first year. But making friends – that was the easiest part. It was also the best part. My dental school experience … Read more
The results are in! After receiving over 800 nominations and 22,000+ votes from across the nation, the annual Leaders in Practice award winners were announced in Oral Health’s April issue. Click here to view the 2021 award winners Designed to recognize Excellence in Dentistry, our Leaders in Practice award program celebrates dental care professionals who … Read more
In March 2020, Oral Health published my most-viewed article. Surprisingly, it wasn’t about preparing, marketing and selling a dental practice. Apparently, in-depth talks about taxes, practice values, employment contracts and leases aren’t that sexy. It actually was a weight-loss piece entitled “Paying It Forward: 8 Ideas That Helped Me Lose 50 lbs in 6 months”. … Read more
Most professionals in today’s busy world face a challenge when it comes to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. More so, if you run a dental practice! You need to juggle offering high-quality dental services and the demands of running a business as well as finding some me-time. A quick life audit will tell you if … Read more
Your practice is your baby. Even if you purchased it from another dentist, you still put in the hard work to make it your own. You’ve toiled, fretted and challenged yourself to reach new heights. And now it’s nearing the time to move on. When the time comes for selling, it is critical that realistic … Read more
The average dental office has many sources for new patients, one of the most significant being Google. That means ranking well for local searches is one of the most critical marketing tactics. Unfortunately, most dentists are very well aware of that fact, and competition for the coveted top spots on Google Maps can be fierce. … Read more
On a Friday afternoon, a dentist’s mind raced. Her patient was asking for a fifth refill of Percocet. The dentist was positive that the pain from a third molar extraction had passed and feared the patient had a substance dependence disorder. The patient complained of stabbing shoulder pain in addition to a residual ache in … Read more
THE WHY: Owner’s story One Dental is a music-inspired practice located in Kelowna, BC that weaves lifestyle and rock ‘n’ roll aesthetics into its dental healthcare facility. Co-owners Dr. Don Macrae and his dental therapist wife Kim Macrae are partners in life as well as in various successful dental practice ventures over the years. The … Read more
“Alexa, give me the number of new patients in January 2022.” “Siri, play my patient’s favourite music.” “Hey Google, tell my patients some jokes.” “Alexa, start the timer for the dental sterilizer.” Who are these people that we always speak to? I suppose “who” is not the right word, but rather “what”. These are all … Read more
As healthcare professionals, we are passionate about positively impacting our patients’ lives and giving back to the communities we serve. With April being National Oral Health Month, many Canadian dental practices will be celebrating in different ways. dentalcorp, the organization I work with, recognizes National Oral Health Month by donating their time and skills through … Read more
The ebb and flow of staff has always existed. Babies are born, people move cross-country, practices downsize, and often the grass is simply just greener elsewhere. But never, ever has it been like we have experienced for the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Revolving door syndrome Many practice owners are describing the … Read more